Truss



(No Model.)

M. HUTCHINS..

TRUSS.

110.416,001. Patented Nov. `26, 1889.

r @VEN afg/#W4 AIINITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILTON HU'l/I'IINS, OF ARLINGTON, l/IASSACIIUSETTS TRUSS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,001, dated November 26, 1889.

Application filed J une l0, 1889.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON I-IUTcHrNs, of Arlington Heights, Arlington, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trusses, of which the following isa specification.

The object of myinvention is the construe` tion of a truss which will effectually hold the" rupture and at the same time be very much easier and convenient to the person wearing it than those now in use.

To these ends my invent-ion comprises, iirst, an improved pad for operating upon a hernia or similar affection of the body, said pad consisting ot' a spiral spring, having, when in its normal condit-ion, the form of a frustum of a cone, so that the area or bearing-surface of the pad will be increased in proportion to the extent of compression of the spring; second, an improved truss-supporting pad consisting of a strip ot metal or other suitable material supporting two separated pads proper, said supporting-strip being yieldingly connected with the body of the truss, whereby the pad may be arranged to rest upon the back of the wearer and serve in an efficient manner to support the truss in position without bearing on the patients spine; third, an improved truss as anentirety, consisting of the improved hernial an d supporting pads hefore mentioned and their co-operating connection, all as Will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the appended claim.

Reference is to be had to the annexed drawings, and the figures of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this specification, the same figures designating the same parts, as the case may be, Wherever they occur.

In the drawings, Figure l is atop plan view of my improved truss complete. Fig. 2 is a face view of the hernial pad and a portion of the body of the truss. Fig. is a central sectional view of Fig. 2.

In carrying out my invention I construct the body 2 of the truss as a spring formed to extend from the back of the wearer around his side or hip to the point where the hernia or other affection exists. Said body 2 maybe made of various materials and be constructed on its smaller end with a small piece 7, of felt l or other soft material, to cover the end of the spring and prevent injury therefrom to the body. The larger end of the spring is attached to the forward end of the truss-body 2 at such point as that when the truss is on the patient the spring when compressed will have a bearing on the hernia or other similar affection. 'With this construction the hernia is held bya surface formed bythe outer sides of the coils of the spring, said surface being flexible and open in its construction, so as to avoid heating', and when strain on the hernia increases and the latter becomes more difficult of holding, the force of pressure and area or extent of bearingsurface of the pad are increased, so that all exigencies of the case are inet in accordance With the degree of the same. The spring 6 is so coiled as thatwhen it is compressed each coil will enter and lie within its successor, forming a round and substantiallyilat pad, as shown in Fig. 3, the outer or smallest coil being first compressed within the next succeeding coil, and so on, until a part or all of the coils may be compressed.

In some instances VI have formed the central Inotecting-piece 7 of wire or other material than felt, and in some instances have dispensed with said piece altogether. l

8 S designate pads of felt or other suitable material supported on the ends of a iiexible strip 9, of metal or other suitable materiah' which strip is. yieldingly connected with the rear portion of the truss spring or body 2, such yielding connection being here shown as consisting of a spiral spring lO, coiled in a manner similar to spring 6, constituting the hernial pad, so that when` said spring 10 is IOO compressed the successive coils may be folded within those preceding, and thereby permitting the spring l0 to be brought into compact form and occupy as little space as possible between thestrip 9 and the body 2. I do not limit myself to this form of spring, hoayever, as the yielding connection between the strip 9 and body 2,but may use any other suitable form of coiled spring as the yielding' connection.

The pads 8. 8 are separated, so that they may rest upon the back of the wearer and not touch or bear upon the patients spine, thus rendering comfortable the Wearing of the truss, and at the same time affording a construction whereby it is securely held in place, the yielding and, as it were, universal-joint connection between the strip 9 and body 2 contributing to the last-mentioned ends.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the form and arrangement of parts comprising my invention Without departing from the nature or spirit thereof.

Having thus described the nature of my improvements and explained a way of eonstructing and using the san1e,I declare that what I claim is- As an improved article of manufacture, the herein-described improved truss, consisting of the exible or spring body portion, a supporting-pad at one end thereof having a coilspring connection therewith, and the hernial pad secured to its other end and consisting of a spiral spring having a pad secured to one end thereof, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 6th day of June, A. D. 1889.

MILTON IIUTCHINS.

lVitn esses:

C. F. BROWN, A. D. HARRISON. 

